Improvement in apparatus for teaching swimming



T. H. MONSTERY. Apparatus for Teaching Swimming.

No. 206,892. Patented Aug. 13,1878.

N.PETER$, FNOTOLITHOGRAP WASHINGTON. D C

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIoE.

THOMAS H. MONSTERY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

IMPROVEMENT IN APPARATUS FOR TEACHING SWIMMING.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 206,892, at A g 1 app t o filed May 21, 1878.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS HOYER Mons- TERY, of 619 Sixth avenue, in the city, county, and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Machine for the Teaching and Practicing of Swimming Motions, of which the following is a specification:

My invention consists in a series of bands, of any suitable material, suspended from any suitable supports in such a manner and at such relative distances from each other as may support the head, body, and limbs of a person in swimming position during the whole period of the stroke, while allowing perfect freedom of horizontal motion.

It also consists in the adjustability of bands and supports to suit the physical conformation of different ages and sizes of persons using it.

In the accompanying drawings, in which like letters of reference indicate like parts, Figure 1 is a perspective View of the whole machine, entitled Monsterys Pendent Swimming Apparatus. Fig. 2 is a detail view of one of the iron suspension-bands, which are marked 0 in the perspective, and Fig. 3 is a section of Fig. 2.

From the four screw-hooks A, which are screwed into any suitable beams about two feet apart, depend four cords, B. At the end of these cords are attached four suspensiol'i-bands ot metal, 0, of the shape represented in Figs. 2 and 3, wherein a is a broad ring or band, large enough to admit a wooden suspensionbar. (Marked D in Fig. 1.) b are small rings above and below, whereto the cords and swimming-belts are respectively attached, and c is a thumb-screw, by loosening which the suspension-bars can be shifted back and forth in the bands 0, to suit different sizes of people.

Through the suspension-bands G are passed the suspension-bars D, and from the bars D and the lower rings of the suspension-bands G are hung, respectii'ely, the head-belt F, the body-belt E, and the two leg-loops Gr, forming together the swimming-belts.

The attachments of the cords above and the swimming-belts below may be either permanent or movable, according to taste, and made either by loops, splices, hooks, knots, rings, or other fastening, as required.

To use the apparatus, the legs are inserted in the loops G, and the swimmer lies down on the body-belt, his chin on the head-belt, in the attitude of swimmin The arms come out between belts E and F, and the motions of breastswimming are imitated perfectly, as in the water. For back-swimming, the back lies on belt E, the back of the head on belt F, and the legs in loops G are changed.

What 1 claim is 1. An apparatus for teaching swimming, consisting of the belts E, F, and G G, arranged as shown and described.

2. The cords B 13 and belts E, F, and Gr (i, all combined and arranged to operate substantially as described.

THOMAS HOYER MONSTERY.

Witnesses:

FRED. WIIITTAKER, SAL. Bm'rsonn. 

